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OKI Delivers Broadband Wireless System for Disaster Operations to Republic of the Philippines' Department of Science and Technology
[August 24, 2014]

OKI Delivers Broadband Wireless System for Disaster Operations to Republic of the Philippines' Department of Science and Technology


TOKYO --(Business Wire)--

OKI (TOKYO:6703) today announced the delivery of the Broadband Wireless System for Disaster Operations based on OKI Media Server, an IP video delivery system, to the Republic of the Philippines (the Philippines) through Department of Science and Technology - Information and Communications Technology Office (DOST-ICTO), its academe-industry research partners Ateneo de Manila University and Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company PLDT.

The system's head-end commissioning and handover ceremony was held on July 22, 2014 and from then on it will be used for trial studies involving building resilient information and telecommunication systems for use in the event of disasters.

In the previous year alone, natural disasters in the Philippines included Typhoon Haiyan, known locally as typhoon Yolanda, the deadliest Philippine typhoon on record, and a magnitude 7.2 earthquake that caused great destruction in Bohol province. In response, DOST-ICTO Ateneo de Manila University spent considerable time looking for various ways to address communication problems resulting from damaged communication networks caused by natural disasters. In times of calamities, there is a need for immediate communication of information in order to minimize damage and loss of human life, and to provide evacuation updates and other vital information to those concerned.

Efforts focused on the area one-seg technology, which broadcasts video, voice and data to a specific area. Both an IPTV (News - Alert) applied fixed network and an area one-seg wireless network were installed at Ateneo de Manila University's Ateneo Innovation Center. Based on the theme of broadband wireless for disaster operations, the decision was made to pursue research on resilient networks and reconfigurable information systems for apidly deployable disaster response. This research seeks to develop the techniques and services required to communicate necessary information using various communication tools.



Undertaken as part of Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT (News - Alert)) programs to develop human resources, this research was directed by Department of Science and Technology - Information and Communications Technology Office, including Ateneo de Manila University, PLDT, Keio University, OKI, and Mitsubishi (News - Alert) Electric Corporation. OKI built the trial broadband wireless for disaster operations.

"With the goal of contributing to both domestic and international network carriers and service providers," says Hidetoshi Saigou, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Telecom Systems Business Division at OKI. "OKI will take advantage of the opportunity presented by this trial system delivery to intensify product development and to expand the features needed to meet the demands of network carriers and service providers in Asia-Pacific region, while promoting the standardization of related techniques."


This system is based on OKI Media Server, OKI's IP video delivery system, which complies with International Telecommunication Union (ITU) global standards and delivers disaster information using IPTV STB for TV and one-seg transmitters for mobile terminals, including tablet terminals. The system enables transfers of high-quality video of a disaster area and related information via IP networks, delivering video, voice, and data to the affected network area via area one-seg broadcasting or WiFi (News - Alert) networks. OKI Media Server allows the continuing delivery of video complying with applicable standards to IPTV, WiFi terminals, and one seg transmitters. IPTV STB complies with, specification for IPTV basic terminals (ITU-T H.721) and, Lightweight Interactive Multimedia Environment (LIME) (ITU-T H.762), compiled based on Japanese data broadcasting standards and error-correcting code (ITU-T H.701). The area one-seg technology is based on ISDB-T, selected for adoption by the Philippines. Terminals capable of receiving one seg data are expected to cover the whole of the Philippines. HLS is used for delivery to WiFi terminals.

This system will be introduced at a workshop at the global standard conformance and interoperability event, APT/ITU C&I held in Bangkok, Thailand, on August 25 and 26, 2014, and at Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (News - Alert) Standardization Program (ASTAP), held until August 29.

[About OKI MediaServer]

An IP video delivery system developed by OKI, OKI MediaServer comes equipped with typical video delivery functions and is readily adopted for use with various systems based on video and voice, including VOD, linear TV, live delivery systems, StartOver, satellite stations, and monitoring systems. In an interconnect event featuring ITU-T IPTV standards, OKI MediaServer demonstrated performance in Japan equal to a reference server. It is currently used by telecommunication carriers to provide commercial IPTV services and for research at numerous universities.

About OKI Electric Industry (OKI)

Founded in 1881, OKI Electric Industry is Japan's leading telecommunications manufacturer in the Info-telecom field. Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, OKI provides top-quality products, technologies, and solutions to customers through its info-telecom systems and printer operations. Its various business divisions function synergistically to bring to market exciting new products and technologies that meet a wide range of customer needs in various sectors. Visit OKI's global website at http://www.oki.com/.

Notes:

  • The names of the companies and products mentioned in this document are the trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective companies and organizations.
  • WiFi is a registered trademark of WiFi Alliances.


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